Morag Ofili
Morag specialises in helping clients take control when faced with tax problems. She approaches each matter always looking for the most effective route through contentious issues. Known for her clear thinking, calm presence and sharp eye for solutions, clients value her ability to make technical issues feel manageable.
Morag advises on all aspects of contentious tax from early engagement with HMRC to litigation. She has appeared before the First-tier Tribunal, Upper Tribunal, High Court and Court of Appeal. Morag started her legal career at the independent Bar dealing with fraud and criminal matters. She is particularly strong in cases involving fraud, tax avoidance or abuse.
Morag regularly acts for international clients, entrepreneurs, trusts, athletes and public figures and the advisors that support them. Her work frequently involves reputational risk, sensitive or cross-border issues, and the need to align legal outcomes with wider commercial or personal priorities.
In addition to tax litigation, Morag helps clients:
- Avoid litigation by using early-stage correspondence to help reframe HMRC’s view of the matter.
- Settle complex tax enquiries, including those involving offshore assets, historic non-compliance or reputational risk.
- Challenge HMRC decisions on public law and procedural grounds.
- Rectify past tax planning where structures have failed or where disclosures are required.
- Bring professional negligence claims where incorrect tax advice or poor implementation has created exposure.
- Navigate tax-driven insolvency risks.
Morag is brought in when clients need clarity and direction. She gets to the core of the issue quickly and builds a strategy that moves things forward.
Expertise
Tax
Tax Advisory Services
Tax Disputes
Credentials
Named in the Citywealth Top 50 Tax Professionals List 2024
Recommended in the Citywealth Leaders List
Ranked in the Tax: Private Client category in Chambers High Net Worth 2025
Recommended in The Legal 500 2024
Named in eprivateclient NextGen Leaders List 2024
Listed in Spear’s 500 2024 as Top Recommended
Named in eprivateclient 35 under 35 2020
EXPERIENCE
Morag’s experience includes:
Acting for an international family to resolve an HMRC enquiry into offshore trust and company structures, mitigating exposure to penalties and reputational risk.
Supporting trustees where funds had been misappropriated and incorrect tax returned files and regularising the position with HMRC.
Supporting a client in an MTIC fraud appeal relating to umbrella company arrangements, focusing on disproving allegations of knowledge and deliberate behaviour.
Representing high-net worth individuals in tribunal proceedings in a dispute over entitlement to entrepreneurs’ relief, addressing technical arguments on qualifying conditions.
Advising sports professionals who used marketed tax avoidance schemes, achieving resolution without litigation and protecting their public profile.
Bringing a professional negligence claim against a leading advisory firm following defective tax advice.
Defending a business owner in HMRC-led insolvency proceedings, negotiating resolution that preserved the client’s business.
Conducting risk reviews and stress testing complex family and trust structures to limit exposure to future disputes to HMRC challenge.
Negotiating settlements and mediating with HMRC to bring protracted disputes to a close on terms acceptable to the client.
Morag Ofili of Edwin Coe wins praise for her ability to combine strong technical tax knowledge with impressive client-handling skills.
Chambers High Net Worth 2025
Morag knows her subject very well and demonstrates a depth and capacity that reassures clients when she is advising. She is also very pleasant to deal with and provides commercially aware solutions.
Chambers High Net Worth 2025
Morag is able to think outside the box.
Chambers High Net Worth 2025
Morag is very diligent and able.
Chambers High Net Worth 2025
Morag is extremely strong on specialist subjects and has provided pragmatic, practical advice. She's a genuine outcomes-based problem solver.
Chambers High Net Worth 2024
Morag has a deep and impressive knowledge of the client and potential technical arguments.
Chambers High Net Worth 2024
Morag is very good at managing clients and focusing on their objectives. She is very knowledgeable and technical.
Chambers High Net Worth 2024
Morag Ofili is a feisty and robust litigator.
The Legal 500 UK 2024
Morag Ofili is superb.
The Legal 500 UK 2024
One of Morag's great skills is managing the client. Morag is also good at procedure, she gets herself up to speed very quickly, very impressive.
Chambers High Net Worth 2023
Morag is technically very good, she's excellent, sets out instructions very well, gives us the opportunity to set out the case that way.
Chambers High Net Worth 2023
She's incredibly good at managing clients' expectations - has the right balance between being compassionate but also realistic about what's expected from a case.
Chambers High Net Worth 2023
Morag has been excellent in distilling complicated matters into a simple format, tailored to each of the various stakeholders that caters for their very different approaches. Morag’s ability to advise on a wide range of matters, whether from her own knowledge or knowledge that she has sought from colleagues, is of particular use and far more useful than a lawyer whose area of knowledge is very narrow.
Private Client
It is clear that client satisfaction is important to Morag, and she goes above and beyond to ensure that this is delivered at all times. It is easy to forget when working with her that you are not her only client.
Private Client